My Brother's Keeper
by Stef
Summary: What if Nathan had been informed about Sylar possibly being his brother? Things would go this way. ON HIATUS.
1. Chapter 1

Title: My Brothers' Keeper [1/?]

Rating: PG, though that's subject to change

Fandom: Heroes

Characters: Nathan, Tracy (in this chapter)

A/N: This is a response to a prompt from tiptoe39 for the Turn Hate Into Love meme. I began with the prompt of Nathan was never told Sylar might be his brother, but alas, it's grown far too large for a simple one-shot. So it's a series now. Here's Chapter one. Hope you enjoy.

The silence hung in the air a little longer than Tracy would have expected. The ambitious blond could talk her way into and out of anything, but even she couldn't anticipate Nathan's reaction.

Finally, he spoke. "You're serious."

Tracy nodded. "Flesh and blood, Nathan."

Nathan shook his head. "One little brother running around, screwing things up is one thing... but to keep an eye on two?"

"If this leaks to the press, your career is done for." Tracy warned.

"So what do we do?" Nathan wonders out loud.

"I think we should negotiate with him." Tracy said, pacing the floor in her loud heels.

Nathan shifted uneasily behind Bobby Kennedy's desk. "You don't negotiate with someone like Sylar. You simply sit there and wait for him to either kill you or decide he doesn't want your power."

"But you're talking about Sylar." Tracy rests her hands on Nathan's shoulders, massaging them. Her hands felt frozen. "I'm talking about Gabriel, your brother. Your father tells me he's--"

"My father can't be trusted. He was going to have me killed, you forget." Nathan reminded her.

"That's just what your mother tells you." Tracy rolled her eyes, stepping away from the back of Nathan's chair to instead sit on the desk, facing him. She crossed her legs purposefully, made sure Nathan got a good look at her long legs. "The same mother that poisoned him less than a year ago, paralyzing him."

Nathan sighed, having no response.

"Look," Tracy said in her Business Tone. "Both of your parents are pretty manipulative, both haven't thought twice about murdering people to see their own goals met, but..." Tracy let the last word hang in the air to pique Nathan's interest.

It caught his attention, if nothing else. One of his eyebrows rose.

Tracy held back a smirk. "But your father can't be the public head of Pinehearst. The world thinks he's dead. Don't you see? You can use this to your advantage."

"Play my parents' games against them, in other words?" Nathan asked.

"Exactly." Tracy confirmed.

"What if this doesn't work?" Nathan asked, needing a back-up plan.

"It will." Tracy promised. "Your father's no fool. And he'd certainly rather see you run Pinehearst than Gabriel or Peter." Tracy spat the younger brothers' names out like poison. "Think of this as the first of many small steps to the front lawn of the White House." She purred 'White House' out while leaning closely to Nathan's face.

When Nathan leaned forward, eyes on Tracy's lips, the woman stood up and began pacing again. "You're sure of this, though?" He asked, trying not to show embarrassment.

"Positive." Tracy said with a confident smile.

Early the next morning, Nathan rolled over to answer his cell phone. Whoever was calling him before nine on a Sunday better have a damn good reason. "Nathan Petrelli." He said drowsily, his eyes still closed.

"Good news!" Tracy chirped. She sounded like she was jogging. "I've talked to your father, he's scheduled a brunch at Pinehearst to discuss things."

Nathan sighed. Who goes jogging this early? "When is it?"

"Two hours. See you there, Senator." Tracy said before hanging up.

Two hours later, Nathan found himself refusing a hug from his dear ol' dad.

"Let's get down to business then, I guess." Arthur said, bringing Nathan to a conference room set up like a breakfast buffet. "Your Tracy tells me that you have a proposition for me?"

Nathan was terrible at making deals. It was the reason why he'd usually hired other people to do it for him. Tracy was nowhere in sight, so he'd have to make do with what he had. "The company. Everyone thinks you're dead, Dad."

"Well, it is popular opinion at the moment, I won't argue this."

"How can you go public without causing a media frenzy of unanswerable questions? Your fake death, our powers, your serial-killing hidden son?" Nathan was trying his best to get the upper hand as soon in the game as possible. He kept thinking of things Tracy would say.

Arthur only nodded. "I'm assuming you want to head up Pinehearst?"

This was too easy. Something was up. "I... I think it would be in your best interest, Dad."

"Well, I can't trust Peter to do a good job. He thinks too much with his heart. And Gabriel-"

"Sylar." Nathan corrected.

"Gabriel," Arthur continued. "I have something else in mind for him. I'll be sending him on an assignment. He'll shape up to be an excellent Company Man."

Going by his father's confident words, Nathan could only guess that Arthur had seen parts of a possible future. "What about me, Dad? Don't you think I'd do well as CEO?"

"Son, I can see no one better suited for the job." Arthur went to squeeze Nathan's shoulder, but his oldest son backed away. "Nathan. I'm hurt."

"I know what you did to Peter."

Arthur offered no apology, merely shrugged instead.

"Your own son!" Nathan whispered, not wanting to draw attention. "How do I know the same won't happen to me?"

"Peter was fine. Besides, you can fly." Arthur said loudly.

Nathan's eyes widened, scanned the conference room. He wildly hoped no one overheard. "Keep your damn voice down."

"Okay, son. Tell you what: you can head up the company. But on one condition. You're doing everything I tell you."

"If I don't?" Nathan asked, already knowing the answer.

"Then I make sure everyone knows we have a flying senator." Arthur smiled smugly. "Do we have an understanding, Nathan?"

Nathan nodded. "We have a deal."

"Good." Arthur moved to squeeze his son's shoulder, not missing that time. "So, I imagine you'd like to talk with your other brother?"

"I have a few things to say to him, yes." Nathan said apprehensively. He was hoping Sylar wouldn't try to kill him in front of all these Pinehearst employees.

Arthur opened his cell phone and hit the number '3' on his speed dial. "Gabriel. It's Dad. Are you busy? ...Good, your brother Nathan is here and he'd like to speak with you... I'm not sure it can wait... We're having brunch in the conference room... There might be if you get here quick enough." He hung up.

Nathan looked at his father expectantly. "Well?"

"He'll be here in a minute. He said he was finishing up something."

"Ohh, don't answer... please, this was just getting so good." Elle begged as she watched Gabriel eye his ringing cell phone.

They were lounging on the sofa in Gabriel's apartment at Pinehearst, in the middle of a bizarre Japanese movie Elle insisted they watch. His dark eyes lingered on her electric blue ones for a moment before flipping his phone open. She pouted and paused the DVD. "Yes... No Dad, I'm not that busy."

Elle squirmed from her position on the couch, moved to get up and fold her arms across her chest at Gabriel. Since she had shared her power with him, they had tentatively begun the most vague hints of a friendship. Neither was sure how "normal" people interacted, but they were trying. And to Elle, it seemed every time she and Gabriel made any small amount of progress, Arthur would swoop in and demand something from his son. It felt like having an intrusive mother-in-law. Elle wondered briefly if Angela Petrelli was just as bad as her husband.

"Nathan's here now? Can't he wait to speak to me later... I understand, Dad. Where is he?" Gabriel began to stand up, started to walk to the closet as he listened to his father's response. "Do they have waffles?" He eyed Elle as he pushed his feet into his shoes, signaling for her to shut the television off. "Be there soon."

Elle shut the television off with a sigh, her Sunday morning ruined. "So what's he want you to do now?"

"Get your shoes, we're going to brunch."

"Brunch." Elle repeated, trying to confirm if she heard him correctly.

"You know. The meal between breakfast and lunch. Brunch." Gabriel said dryly.

"I know what brunch is." Elle said, toeing on her heels. She looked up at Gabriel expectantly. Even in heels, she was a good deal shorter than him. "Why exactly are we going to brunch? I don't think your father invited me."

"I invited you." Gabriel smiled at her, watched her blow her bangs out of her eyes. "Besides, it's a company function. We're company employees, he can't tell you that you shouldn't be there."

"I suppose." Elle replied with a shrug.

Gabriel stepped out of his apartment with Elle, locked the door, and the two headed down the hallway to the elevators. "I still don't think your dad's too fond of me, though." Elle announced over the loud clack of her shoes on the freshly waxed floor.

"My dad's probably not too fond of anything." Gabriel offered. He didn't know much of his father, himself. Where Arthur wanted Gabriel to kill Peter, Gabriel only harmed him enough to scare him. Even as Sylar, Gabriel didn't think he could bring himself to kill a family member. There had been Virginia- his adoptive mother, though that was an accident.

"Hey." Elle tugged on Gabriel's hand as the elevator doors opened. "You looked pretty far away there."

"Just thinking, that's all." Gabriel said, stepping inside with the tiny blond. His hand squeezed hers.

Elle felt her face flush a little. She was always such a flirt; the physical contact she showered men with was nothing new to her. It was when they reciprocated she began to get uneasy. It had been that way with Adam, with Peter, and now with Peter's brother Gabriel. Elle began to wonder if she had a thing for guys with biblical names.

The long elevator ride down to the main conference room was mostly a quiet one, though Gabriel broke the silence to announce "Almost there." Once the elevator stopped, they followed the spartan halls until they reached the main conference room; nicknamed the "War Room" by Elle's father. She briefly remembered playing under the long tables with a rubber chicken. It was ridiculous and ugly as sin, but it was the only plaything that seemed impervious to her ability. She was sure it was still packed away somewhere along with the rest of her childhood.

"I think I've been in this room before." Elle said before Gabriel opened the door for her. "A really long time ago."

Arthur stood up, as did Nathan when the pair reached their table. Nathan did his best to look unaffected, but Arthur's disdain was undisguised. "What's she doing here?"

"I didn't think you'd mind." Gabriel said quietly. People were staring. He hated that.

"If I wanted her here, I would have called for her." Arthur said sternly. Though he spoke Gabriel, he was looking right at Elle.

"I'm sorry, sir."

"Miss Bishop," Arthur began. "This is family business, I'd appreciate it if you left." The way he said it made it sound nothing like a request.

Elle looked from Arthur, to Gabriel, then back to Arthur. "I'll see you later." She spun on her heel and stalked out of the conference room.

"Dad, was that necessary?" Nathan asked, trying to be diplomatic. "Elle's been with the company for years. Don't you think-"

"As we discussed earlier, Nathan, just because you head up the company, it doesn't make you in charge. You're a public face for me."

Nathan sighed and stabbed at his breakfast. Gabriel eyed the waffles hungrily.

"Now Gabriel," Arthur started. "Your brother and I called you down here to go over some things."

Gabriel nodded. "Anything I can do to help, sir."

Arthur smiled. He could get used to having such an easily influenced puppet under him. Son or no son. He'd tried to have Nathan killed, attempted with Peter, and though Gabriel may have been indestructible it didn't protect him from being manipulated. Arthur liked to think of manipulation as his specialty. After stealing powers, of course. "Excellent. Nathan, tell your brother your idea."

"Well, I'm going to be CEO of Pinehearst in Dad's place." Nathan began. "And I think it's in everyone's best interest if I were as open as possible with the public as far as our family goes."

Gabriel arched an eyebrow. "You're going to out everyone with powers?"

"Absolutely not." Nathan said after a short pause. "I need to look as wholesome as possible if I want to stay in politics."

Gabriel wanted to offer his opinion on politicians, but decided to see where his older brother was going with this. "Okay."

"Well, I can't go around saying wanted serial killer Gabriel Gray is my brother, can I?" Nathan whispered.

Gabriel shrugged. "It wouldn't hurt my feelings. I've done terrible things and I feel I should atone for them. I've started with Elle. Dad showed me I don't have to kill people to understand them."

"That's... great." Nathan was almost at a loss for words. "But I feel that you should change your last name. To protect yourself and your family. Us." Nathan made a gesture around the table between himself, his father, and his brother. "In exchange, we'll protect you. It's how our family works."

"It's how all families work, son." Arthur chimed in, nodding as he did so.

"So change my last name to Petrelli?" Gabriel asked. "But won't reporters wonder why you suddenly have another brother?"

"To the public, you'd be my cousin." Nathan said. He was truly making it up as he went along. He wondered if this was how Tracy conducted business. Did the woman have a real plan ever, or was it to spin things according to the situation? And where was she anyway?

Gabriel looked from his brother to his father. "Dad?"

Arthur nodded.

Gabriel looked back to Nathan. "Okay, I'll do it."


	2. Chapter 2

Elle all but stormed out of the conference room, stalked down the long hallway to the elevator, tapped her foot all the way up to the floor of her room at the company. She hated being dismissed like that. Hated it even more that it was Arthur doing it. What made it the worst was that Arthur had done that in front of Gabriel. She felt so stupid, so small, so useless. No one had talked to her like that since her father. It was a miserable, familiar feeling. She needed to let off some steam.

When she made it to her room, Elle angrily kicked off her heels. The left heel went sailing across the room to the window, the right slid under the bed to be forgotten about. She slid her hands behind her skirt and unzipped the back; let it drop to the floor before kicking it off. She pulled her blouse over her head, unsnapped her bra and left it on the floor as well. Elle then stomped to the bathroom to turn the shower on and cranked the water up as high as she could tolerate it.

Before she lost control of her ability, before he father pushed her as hard as she could- and further, Elle used to like taking showers to relax. It eased her mind to have the therapeutic heat of the water massage her tight, sore muscles. She felt better at the end of an especially trying day if she could just relax under the water for ten minutes. That had begun to change once her power became unstable. She'd spark unexpectedly and end up hurting herself more than anything. Thanks to Gabriel, she could have this one luxury she'd allowed herself back.

Elle let the hot water run over her scalp as her hand reached for the shampoo. She massaged it roughly into her skull, loving the calming scent it released. She sighed softly as she worked her fingers through her hair, her anger ebbing already. After rinsing her hair, Elle gave her self a quick once over with her soap. She was almost finished rinsing off when she heard a knock on her door.

"Shit, this better be good." She said to her reflection as she stumbled quickly out of the shower stall. Elle barely dried herself off before throwing on her tiny bathrobe, her wet hair plastered to her face. She padded across the floor with wet feet to the door, sticking her head out to answer. "What?"

"Elle." Gabriel breathed. "Sorry, this must be a bad time. I'll come back."

She tried not to smirk, instead opted for her pleasant hostess act. "No, no. It's fine! Please, come in." Elle opened the door a bit wider, granting Gabriel access to her room. She watched him try not to stare at her clothes strewn about the floor. His eyes lingered on her bra until she asked him if he wanted something to drink.

It took Gabriel a few seconds before he realized he was being spoken to. "Oh, I'm all set. I don't need anything. I just wanted to stop by and-" he watched Elle bend over to pick up the clothes on the floor. She showed off an ample view of her cleavage. "-apologize. My dad didn't treat you very well earlier."

"I'm used to it." Elle said with a shrug. "Besides, it wasn't your fault. Your dad's always kinda been like that."

Gabriel sighed. It upset and frustrated him that so many people knew his own father better than he did. He raked a hand through his hair and tried not to ask her if there was anything about his father that she _didn't_ know- he figured the list would be a short one.

"Tell you what." Elle interrupted Gabriel's thoughts. "If you wanna make it up to me so badly, why don't we finish that movie? I'll make us a snack and we can hang out for the afternoon." She leaned between Gabriel and the doorway. "You're not busy, are you?"

"Not really." Gabriel answered right away. "I'll go get the DVD and be right back." He stepped out of the room and walked down the hallways before waving back to Elle.

Elle smiled and waved before closing her room door. Her smile crept into a smirk as she mentally congratulated herself for still having the charm it takes to make men do what she wants.

=-=-=-=

Nathan Petrelli didn't even bother to wait for Tracy Strauss to answer her phone properly before laying into her. "What the Hell, Tracy. You left me to the damn wolves today. I thought you said you'd meet me at Pinehearst?"

Tracy tried not to roll her eyes as she paced the expansive office of her client. "You're not the _only_ politician I provide my services to, Nathan. And I can't be your mouth piece to your father forever... why, did something go wrong?"

Nathan hesitated. "Not exactly. I secured my spot in the company and I managed to get Sylar to change his last name, like you said. Or at least I think I convinced him to."

"You know, you really need to stop calling him that. He's your brother." She added with a laugh, "Think of the awkward dinners."

"Not funny." Nathan snapped. "Besides, you're my political advisor. Not my family therapist." He almost stopped and apologized to her, but felt he needed to be firm. Nathan Petrelli was determined not to seem like a pushover for anyone lately. "So, what is our next move?"

"Well, first you need to move into Pinehearst, prove your loyalty to Daddy for a while. Just do everything he says, get him to trust you. Let him think you're his puppet, much the way that Sylar is. I'll handle the PR shit while you make your transition. It'll look completely normal for you to lay low for a bit after taking over a huge company like Pinehearst."

Nathan wanted to call Tracy on saying the "S" word, but thought better of it. He did want to hear what she had to say, after all. "Okay, so what do I do after that?"

"I will call you." Tracy said.

"...So just play good son until you tell me to stop? Do you realize how _stupid_ that sounds?" Nathan wanted to fly wherever Tracy was so he could slap her.

"Just trust me." Tracy said simply. "I have it all laid out. You'll be in the White House in five years if this works out. And it will. I have an excellent plan."

"You'd better." Nathan threatened. "I'm not paying you to look good."

Tracy faux gasped. "Why Senator, was that a compliment?"

"I'm serious." Nathan said sternly. "I'd better hear from you soon."

"And you will." Tracy assured him. "Bye for now."


End file.
